Where the heart is
by DarkGoddess2002
Summary: A old friend finds Hermione and past bitter feelings are dredged up. Slight Harry bashing, not for Harry fans.


A/N I've come up with a new motto 'I will not read fan fiction that makes me hate Harry.' because if I don't listen to that motto, I write things like this.

Disclaimer. Harry Potter? I don't own him, good thing, right now- Voldy would kill him. Slowly.

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"Cody, where are you? Come to mum now." Hermione called out.

She saw a streak of a black-headed child run from behind the tree to the front of the huge mansion. Grinning at her imp of a child's antics she ran after him.

"I'm going to get you, you little devil spawn!" She shouted, laughing.

The moment she rounded the corner she stopped dead in her tracts, nearly falling.

"Mum, this guy here wants to talk to you." Cody shouted, jerking his thumb at the messy haired man standing beside him, staring down at her son with suspicion.

Cody looked right back at Harry Potter with a frown on his face, every inch of the eight year old showed great dislike of the man beside him. He had seen how Hermione had reacted to seeing him.

"What you want with my mum?" Cody asked belligerently.

Harry looked at Hermione, then back to Cody. "Just to talk to her." Harry assured him.

Cody's jaw jutted out. "About what?"

Harry's green eyes came back to Hermione. "Grown-up things. So if you could just scoot along we could talk."

"Bollocks to that- I'm not leaving my mum with some stranger."

Cody's profanity snapped Hermione out of her stupor. "How many times have I told you not to curse, young man?" Hermione chastised coming forward to stand in front of both of them.

Cody looked down for a moment. "Bout a thousand I'd say."

Hermione nodded, ignoring Harry's stare. "That's right, now go along and ask Rosa for some ice cream, tell her I said it was OK."

Cody's hands went to his hips and his sparkling green eyes had a stubborn glint to them. "You can't bribe me with ice cream to leave you alone with this bloke. I don't know him."

Hermione had to smile at her son's overprotective attitude. He was such a dear boy. "This is Harry Potter, you know, the one who defeated Voldemort?"

Even greater dislike sparked in Cody's eyes. "Well sod all, now I'm not letting this wanker be alone with you."

Hermione was at aghast at the language. "Cody, did Phillip teach you that?" She demanded. She was going to kill that man. He taught Cody more bad language then TV did.

Cody once again hung his head, but quickly looked back at Harry as if expecting him to suddenly hex Hermione. "I overheard Phillip talking to Antonio and Antonio said that he," Cody cast a disparaging look at Harry. "Was a great sodding wanker who should have his bollocks ripped off and fed to dragons, then-"

Hermione held up her hand stopping the boy. "I'm going to murder that man." She muttered. Harry for his part was completely baffled by the entire conversation. Who was this boy? His son? Could it be possible that Hermione hadn't told him that he had a son for eight years? He had the same black hair that was completely mussed, sparkling green eyes. He was old enough to be in the right time frame. The more he thought about it the more it made sense.

Anger swelled inside him. How dare she keep something like this from his all these years? Whatever their personal differences she had no right to keep his son away from him.

"You go tell Antonio that he is in so much trouble." Hermione muttered, drawing Harry's gaze back to her.

She looked different than she had eight years ago. She was dressed in a muggle slip dress with pink flowers. Her hair was much longer now was braided laying down her back, nearly reaching the small of her back. She was tanned now, rather than pale.

Harry swayed closer and noted that she was wearing a very thin layer of make-up. Her lips were a coppery colour. God she looked wonderful.

The boy shot a look at Harry that was filled with hatred. "Fine, I'll go get Antonio, and he'll force the sodding wanker to leave."

"Language!" Hermione hissed.

"Sorry, ma'am."

The boy ran away, towards the entrance, the doors automatically opening for him.

Harry watched Hermione, as she watched him leave.

"I think you owe me an explanation." Harry hissed out.

Hermione turned to him, her brown eyes, once so filled with warmth now cold and hard. "I've found that trying to explain anything to you, a fruitless endeavour." Hermione made to turn away but Harry stopped her, by grabbing her arm, spinning her around to face him.

"How dare you keep him from me." Harry shouted at her.

"Keep who from you?" Hermione asked, sounding bewildered.

"The boy, or are you going to deny that he's my son?"

Hermione's eyes went to the door that Cody had just gone though with blank eyes. "You son?" She parroted.

Harry smirked. "So you can't deny it, can you?" He asked harshly.

Hermione shook her head before jerking her arm out of his hand. "He's not your son." Hermione nearly shouted.

"Oh yeah, what do you think a paternity test would say?"

"Gregory Weston and Patricia Franklin." Hermione gritted out. "Cody is my husband's son from a previous relationship." Hermione said. "Would you like to see his birth certificate? Meet his mother, his father? A blood sample?" Hermione asked with a shake of her head. "I see you haven't changed a bit, the same Harry, jumping to conclusions without bothering to ask anyone about the facts. Least of all the one you accuse." Laughing bitterly Hermione turned to the house, walked to the front step but turned back around at the baffled look.

"Why are you here, Harry?"

Harry looked back up at her. "I wanted to apologize to you." He said softly. "To tell you I know the truth now. That it all came out after you left. Your innocent."

Hermione laughed coldly. "I know I'm innocent Harry. And I tried to tell you, but you didn't listen."

Harry took a few halting steps towards her. "Don't you see, now things can go back."

Hermione shook her head in utter disbelief. "Didn't you hear what I said, Harry? I'm married, Cody may not be biologically my child, but in every other way he's mine."

Harry looked bleakly around the stone pathway. "But you were supposed to," He trailed off looking dejected,

"What was I supposed to do Harry?" Hermione asked, colour rising in her cheeks. "Was I supposed to pine away for you, my supposed friend, who didn't even allow me to explain my actions?"

Hermione closed her eyes, trying to blot that night out.

_The night was cold and miserable, raining, the wind had picked up so it was freezing. Especially if you were dressed in flimsy silk robes as Hermione was._

_Her robes were so moulded to her body that she might as well not even be wearing them. Her bushy hair was plastered to her head, making her look like a drowned rat. Standing in an ally waiting for half an hour and she was sure she was going to catch a cold. _

I'm doing this for Harry._ She thought, wrapping her arms around her shaking body. Only for him._

_The door opened and Blaise Zabini came out. When he caught sight of her he grinned in satisfaction, his white teeth sparkling against his dark complexion. _

_"You came Granger." He stated, sounding pleased. He frowned sharply at her sodden form. "And I see you didn't bring your wand like I asked."_

_Pulling out his own he quickly cast a drying charm and repelling charm._

Show time_. Hermione thought._

_Smiling seductively Hermione came forward. "Of course I did. I know how this war is going to end, the others are fools not to see that the Dark Lord will win. I want to be safe when he takes over."_

_Blaise smiled. "I see they were right when they said you were smart, Granger."_

_"Call me Hermione." She said quickly. _

_Forcing herself forward she tentatively reached out to place a hand on his chest. "It's better if you call me Hermione."_

_Blaise nodded. "Yes, we are going to be on much more intimate terms." _

_Hermione blushed and tried to look away but Blaise forced her to meet his dark brown eyes. "Once you're mine, you will be safe, the Dark Lord has promised me you once he wins. Now that you are here by choice, I will make sure you have every thing you want." _

_Hermione nodded. "Yes. I belong to you, now." Hermione whispered, reaching up she kissed Blaise running her fingers though his thick, course hair._

_Blaise was the one to pull back from the kiss first, his breathing unsteady, his pupils dilated with lust. _

_But Hermione wasn't paying attention to Blaise at all. She was looking at the black haired man who had just showed himself from under his invisibility cloak, looking like someone had just punched him in the gut. _

_Taking a step towards him, Hermione winced when he stepped back, a look of pure revulsion on his handsome face._

_"Harry,"_

_His revulsion turned to fury in almost an instant, his wand drawn. "The two of you are under arrest." _  
The rest of the night was a blur. She remembered being questioned for hours. She had answered nothing; she knew that if they knew what she was doing everything would be ruined.

They had nothing on her, other than she had met with a Death Eater. They would have no choice but to let her go. They had to.

Hermione had been right, not two hours later they had her released. But the damage was done, she had tried to go to Harry but he had looked at her with such coldness in his eyes.

"You have nothing I want to hear, you Death Eater's whore."

The words had stung more than any blow could have. Harry didn't trust her. Harry no longer loved her, didn't even consider a friend any longer.

She had tired to talk to Ron, Neville, Ginny, Luna, any of the Weasley's, but they had all treated her the same. Ignored her, shunned her, called her a Death Eater whore. If she walked into a room, they would leave. No one would eat with her.

Finally one day she got tired and left without a word to anyone.

But now Harry had found her.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Harry finally said.

Hermione laughed without mirth. "I tried to tell you, over and over again, but you didn't listen. You called me a whore." She said without mercy and took satisfaction when she saw him flinch.

"But now-"

"But now, nothing Harry. I have a life now, a life that I love. People I love. I'm married to a wonderful man who taught me how to trust others again, taught me how to love again. Who gave me a son I love, a family who would never turn their backs on me."

"We love you Hermione."

"Not enough to listen to me. Not one of you asked me why I met with Blaise. Not one of you asked if I had any other reason for being in that ally. You all just assumed I was betraying you."  
"You could have told us before you left!" Harry shouted at her. "Then none of this would have happened."

"I knew if I had told you, you might have tried to stop me. Meeting with Zabini was the only way to get information on where they were holding McGonagall. Everyone knew that Zabini was in charge of prisoners."

Hermione stared at her former friend for a long time. "How did you know I was innocent?" She finally asked.

"We found your journals. The letter from Zabini. But it was too late, you were gone. I've spent the last seven years looking for you."

Hermione's sigh was filled with regret. "It's too late now Harry. I don't think I could ever forgive you and the others for not believing in me. For calling me a whore."

Harry glared up at her. "You have to admit that everything pointed to the fact you were guilty." Harry said, sounding sulky.

"In second year and everyone thought you were the heir of Slytherin I never doubted you. And when the Goblet of Fire put out your name everything pointed to you having put it there. You said you hadn't and that was enough for me. I believed in you. I supported you when none of the others did. You can't expect loyalty and not give it in return."

"Very true, darling." A new, deep rich voice said from the front door.

Hermione turned to her husband and nearly wept in relief. Not usually one for allowing a man to handle anything for her, she was more than willing to allow Antonio to help her.

Antonio was six feet tall, slim but muscular, with coal black hair, worn too long because he loathed to get his haircut, and glittering green eyes. Olive skin and his rich Italian accent topped off his Mediterranean look perfectly.

Today he looked more like a pirate then a civilised wizarding billionaire. A flowing pirate shirt tucked into buff coloured breeches and shining boots. All he needed was a patch and a parrot on his shoulder to complete the effect.

Rich, eccentric, and too handsome for any girl's good Antonio Weston was a lethal combination. He seemed all swaggering confidence but the man truly had a heart of gold.

What Hermione had said before was true. Antonio had taught her how to live again. Taught her to trust and to accept trust. Taught her love. That part had been ridiculously easy, handsome, smart, and charming he had hit Hermione so hard and fast she couldn't help but love him. When he had introduced her to his son she had nearly asked him to marry her right on the spot.

Cody had captured her heart faster than Antonio had been able to. But the boy was perfect. Smart, adorable and endearingly charming. He had his father's protective instincts and his mother's sweet smile. He had been six when she had met him and her heart belonged to him form that day on.

"I finally get to see the man in person." Antonio said coming down the steps, Cody on his heels until they stood on either side of Hermione. He wrapped a possessive arm around Hermione's waist, hugging her close. "The legend in the flesh."

Hermione leaned against Antonio and wrapped her arm around Cody's shoulders.

"I don't think your very welcome here, Mr. Potter." Antonio said in a smooth voice that belied the intense look on his face. "I think my _wife_ would rather you leave."

Harry looked up at Hermione. "Is this why you won't come back, because you landed some rich bloke?"

Hermione looked up into her husband's green eyes and finally felt the tension leave her.

She was free of the old bitter emotions that had held her without her even realizing it. She was free of her hatred.

Still looking into her husbands face she answered Harry.

"I'm not staying because he's rich, Harry. I'm staying because I trust him." She finally looked at Harry. "And I could never trust you again."

Feeling an annoyed tug on her sleeve Hermione laughed, hugging Cody closer. "Besides, I'm afraid my heart belongs to my brave guy."

Making them turn and walk up the steps, still linked she paused just inside the door to look at Harry.

"This is where my heart is."

The last thing Hermione saw was Harry's disappointed, hurt face before the door closed.

Not only on Harry but also on old hatred, old bitterness. An old life.

Kissing Antonio softly she smiled.

"I'm glad he came." Hermione confessed.

Antonio smiled. "I'm glad I finally let him find you. I was afraid I would lose you to him." He admitted softly.

"He's my past. You and Cody are my future." Her smile deepened, her hand creeping to her belly. "And the new little one coming."

Antonio kissed her softly.

Not one to be ignored Cody tugged on her skirt.

"Hey mum can I have the ice cream you said I could have before?"

Pulling away from Grey Hermione laughed, ruffling her son's hair.

"Of course you can kiddo, my brave, knight in shining armour."

Cody grinned. "Thanks mum."

Hermione smiled and shook her head as both Antonio and Cody ran off the kitchen Hermione shook her head and followed.

Fin.

A/N Ok, I'm usually a HHR, but I really loathed Harry in the fan Fiction I was reading. It was HHR, but at the last chapter I would rather RHR (Shutter) than Harry get the girl.

Well was Antonio a Gary-Sue? Eh, I don't care if he was, I wanted the perfect man for Hermione. You know tall, dark, and handsome as well as rich as sin to boot. Hermione's my favourite character and I want her to have the best. Yes Cody calls his dad Antonio rather than dad, I did this because my nephew calls my brother by his first name, and he's rich and eccentric too and he prefers it that way. I hope I didn't put off the HHR shippers that might read this. I'm sorry but the story just—gurr, it really pissed me off.

And yes I stole the title from the movie

If you read, please review.


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